President Uhuru Kenyatta and his Deputy William Ruto on Thursday bought 1,000 goats worth Sh12 million in a swoop that caught the sellers of the domestic animals by surprise in Baringo.
The two were guests during the Kimalel Goat Auction, although the President did not attend as he was at the graduation ceremony of Kibabii University in Bungoma.
There were 2,081 goats on sale and the two leaders helped themselves to half of them.
The DP represented his boss and, when given the chance to declare the number of goats he was eyeing, he surprised the attendants by saying he would buy 1,000 at Sh12,000 each.
The DP also bought 50 goats for Sing’ore Girls in Elgeyo-Marakwet County after the school topped the 2017 KCSE results. The school, in a remote part of the county, emerged first, beating more decorated national schools.
The DP presented the cash to the goat owners.
It was the second time the two were buying the goats in large numbers, although they only bought 200 each last year.
Baringo Governor Stanley Kiptis bought 100 goats at Sh1.2 million.
This year’s auction saw Sh25 million being collected from the sale in under one hour. The DP said that the government had set aside Sh1 billion to construct a leather treatment plant in Athi River and Naivasha.
